Next LIVE courses starting soon: Level 1 Fri 25 or Sat 26 July.  Level 2 Fri 29 or Sat 30 Aug

Turn Your Speaking Skills into LinkedIn Visibility

  Do you show up on LinkedIn videos? Whether you’re already cranking them out regularly, or wondering if it’s really worth it— Video is probably the most effective way to build presence, trust, and visibility on the platform right now. I was reluctant when I started out with video in general – especially on LinkedIn […]

Hybrid Presenting – Awkward? 4 Tips

Hybrid Presenting - Awkward? Tips to Help

Hybrid presenting can be awkward – 4 tips I’ve learned the hard way! If you ever need to present to 2 audiences at once, you’d probably agree with me that it has its challenges. I frequently have to do hybrid workshops, and even with experience, I still don’t find it a natural process. I’m used […]

How to Persuade More Effectively by Thinking With Your Body

What are the best ways to persuade more effectively? Most of us were taught to convince people by using logic, structure, and clarity. And while those are essential, there’s another deeper layer that I certainly wasn’t aware of until I did some research. It’s possible to appeal to something deeper – the body. This is […]

The Overlooked Key to Better Presentations.

Rear View Of People During Seminar

One of the biggest challenges I see in client communications, whether they’re boardroom pitches or project updates, isn’t nerves, delivery, or slide design. It’s the lack of thinking. Polished delivery and appealing slides won’t be enough to compensate  if this is missing. Spending intentional, focused time to shape your message…to be relevant and clear for […]

Feeling Exposed When You Speak? You’re Not the Only One

High-performance speaking LinkedIn replay

We can feel so exposed when we speak: I used to feel that vulnerability constantly, of being completely ‘alone’ up there, and not having all the resources I needed to cope. I’d imagine that’s also part of your experience at some point. No matter what level of seniority or experience we get to, life or […]

Are You “Buffering” When You Speak?

A buffering dial loading on a phone

I’ve been using a term with clients recently that seems to resonate: buffering. You know that spinning circle you see on your screen when something’s loading? That’s what it can feel like, and sound like when we’re trying to land on our message, but we haven’t worked it out yet. We start circling around the […]

Change your Voice or Change Your Perception?

Black and white image with two yellow birds to symbolise contrast

  I just finished a session with a client where we worked on vocal presence, and she said: “Are you telling me to change my voice, Sarah? I can change my appearance, that’s quite easy, but changing my voice? That feels really hard.” She’s right: if the goal is to change your voice, that’s not only […]

Multitasking as a Leader – Floss in a Lift?

A woman with a big grin showing her teeth

  Today, an example for you of multitasking and low presence. When we multitask – and it’s not like we don’t know this – it can backfire, affecting our leadership, perception and professionalism. Last week I was working in a large organision, in a lift after lunch with one other person when the director of […]

Do you communicate in 2D or 3D?

a microphone with large audience

  I sometimes work with clients who I describe as communicating in 2D rather than 3. This usually happens for one of two main reasons: fear or focus. People who are afraid get tangled up in their own system. They want to hide, so instead of turning outward, they turn inward and contract. People who […]

Why ‘Faking’ Delivering Under Pressure Works, and 2 Ways to Try It

a-woman-jumping-up-doing-a-jumping-jack

When you’re preparing for a presentation or speaking event, or maybe an interview, it’s not always easy to replicate the anxiety or discomfort of the real thing. While you might feel some ramping up in your system, it’s probably nowhere near what happens when you’re in the space and expected to deliver. All those expectations: […]